Chest

Close-Grip Bench Press

Press the barbell with a narrow grip to target the triceps and chest.

The close-grip bench press is a compound exercise that focuses on the triceps and chest, ideal for building upper body strength and muscle mass. It's the narrow-grip, tricep-biased member of the bench press family — for a guided path without a spotter, see the machine chest press.

See all variants of this movement

How to do Tips

Body Part: Chest
Level: Intermediate
Muscles: Triceps
Chest
Modality: Compound
Direction: Push
Equipment: Barbell
Bench
Goal: Strength
,
Hypertrophy

How to do:

Lie on a bench with your feet planted on the floor.
Grip the barbell with your hands about shoulder-width apart.
Lower the barbell to your chest in a controlled motion, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Press the barbell back up until your arms are fully extended.
Repeat for 8–12 reps per set.
Perform 3-4 sets total.

Tips:

Keep your elbows close to your sides throughout the movement.
Avoid flaring your elbows to prevent shoulder strain.
Use a spotter for safety when lifting heavy weights.
Focus on a slow, controlled motion for better muscle activation.

Similar Exercises

This exercise in Workout Days

This page in other languages: